J-Street: “Our Message of Hope and Urgency”

As Israeli-Palestinian peace talks enter crunch time, we’re making clear that broad supports exists for bold peace moves.

Our ads in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other papers urge Netanayahu, Abbas, and Obama to make history now by freezing settlement growth, staying at the table, and giving talks a chance to succeed. > more.

foto:picapp.com

Filed under: christian, christianity, Faith, god, Islam, jewish, jews, life, Muslim, politics, Religion, society, theology, Barack Obama, israel, Israel-Palestine, Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Mahmoud Abbas, middle east, Netanyahu, obama, Palestine, peace, tolerance

The Mideast’s Nonviolent Moment

One of the most important books I read as a young adult was Martin Luther King Jr.’s Stride Toward Freedom. The book introduced me to nonviolent resistance—the commitment to change social evils while rejecting the temptation to use violence.

When Montgomery, Alabama’s African Americans began their protests, they didn’t call their approach by its philosophical names, nonviolent or passive resistance. “The phrase most often heard,” wrote King, “was ‘Christian Love.’ It was the Sermon on the Mount, rather than a doctrine of passive resistance, that initially inspired the Negroes of Montgomery to dignified social action. It was Jesus of Nazareth that stirred the Negroes to protest with the creative weapon of love.” > more.
foto:v i p e z,flickr.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, conflict, Gaza, israel, mideast, Palestine, peace, war

Palestinians mark ‘Nakba’ with tears and questions

Claudette Habesch stood at the gate of what had once been her family house, tears in her eyes as she pointed to the garden shaded by a large date palm.

“It was beautiful, a lot of fun, a lot of happiness,” she said, recalling an Arab childhood spent in Jerusalem before her family fled in 1948.
“(Then) there was the foundation of the state of Israel – on my own homeland, on my own home.” > more.

foto: picapp.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, life, Muslim, Muslims, Religion, theology, israel, nakba, Palestine, peace, war

Defense Minister: Israel needs to recognize the occupation must end

Israel must recognize that the world will not put up with decades more of Israeli rule over the Palestinian people, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in unusually frank remarks Monday.

Barak’s comments came against the backdrop of severe friction between the U.S. and Israel’s hawkish government over an impasse in peacemaking.

“The world isn’t willing to accept – and we won’t change that in 2010 – the expectation that Israel will rule another people for decades more,” he said. “It’s something that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world.” > more.

foto:picapp.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, Koran, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, ehud barak, iran, israel, Palestine, peace, war

The Golda wars

Gideon Levy in the liberal news- paper Ha’aretz (15.10.2009).

Those who are to blame for everything have been found: the “Goldstoners.” Not the occupation, the settlements, Israeli aggressiveness or brutality; just Goldstone. According to Ari Shavit (Haaretz, October 8), the spirit of Judge Richard Goldstone will bring the next war upon us, and it will be called the Goldstone War. > more.

foto: picapp.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, jewish, jews, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, Gaza, gideon levy, goldstone, ha'aretz, israel, Palestine, terror, war

Israeli activist to be jailed for caring

Ezra Nawi was ridiculed and arrested for trying to protect people’s homes. Only international attention can help him now. Without international intervention, the Israeli human rights activist will most likely be sent to jail. > more.

picture: jenniferlisa,flickr.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, Koran, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, human rights, israel, Palestine, Zionism

Why The Pope Can’t Help Middle Eastern Christians

Ever since the year 1204 AD, when the soldiers of the Fourth Crusade sacked the Christian city of Constantinople instead of “liberating” Jerusalem from Muslim rule, Christians in the Middle East have been understandably wary of emissaries of Rome. Today, as Christians in the Middle East prepare for the arrival of Pope Benedict on his first trip to the Holy Land, many are worried that the unpredictable pontiff might stir up passions at a time by religious strife and political cold war.  > mehr.

also read (german):
Papstbesuch in Israel: Auf dem heiklen Stuhl

Bild: howie_berlin,flick.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, Koran, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, catholic, Gaza, israel, middle east, Palestine, pope

Film: “To Die In Jerusalem”

“When a Palestinian teen girl killed an Israeli teen girl in a suicide bombing, Jewish filmmaker Hilla Medalia told the story—and tried to get the surviving mothers together.Ayat Al-Akhras was an 18-year-old living in a Palestinian refugee camp. She was beautiful, an A student, and already engaged to be married. Rachel Levy was a 17-year-old Israeli living in Jerusalem. She was striking, free spirited, and a loving daughter and sister. On March 29, 2002, Rachel’s mother asked her to go to a local supermarket to pick up ingredients for Sabbath dinner.”> more. 

> Watch trailer. 
Bild: simio sapiens,flickr.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, Koran, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, Gaza, israel, Palestine, terror, understanding, war

Gaza: Civilians Under Siege

“I am deeply alarmed.” “ Statement by U.N. Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, Dec. 29:  I am deeply alarmed by the current escalation of violence in and around Gaza. This is unacceptable. I have been repeatedly condemning the rocket attacks by Hamas militants against Israel. While recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself, I have also condemned the excessive use of force by Israel in Gaza. The suffering caused to civilian populations as a result of the large-scale violence and destruction that have taken place over the past few days has saddened me profoundly.” > more. picture:  takver,flickr.com

Filed under: christian, christianity, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, Koran, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, Gaza, israel, Palestine

Talking, not force, is the only solution in Gaza

The near certainty that Israeli aggression against Hamas will end in failure is surely a compelling reason for negotiation. -

Covering just 365 square kilometres and home to 1.5 million people, Gaza is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. So it is unlikely that Israel would be able to launch a military offensive against Hamas militants, who have fired hundreds of rockets across the border in recent days, without inflicting terrible casualties on the civilian Palestinian population. But, say Israel’s leaders, the threat to their own civilians leaves them no choice. > more. 
picture: samdag,flickr.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Islam, Jesus, jewish, jews, Koran, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, Gaza, intifada, israel, Palestine, terror, war

The New P.L.O.? (Palestinians Love Obama)

“Will Palestinians have a “friend” in the White House if Barack Obama is elected president on Tuesday ? Many supporters of the Palestinians think so or at least hope so. My advice to them: Don’t hold your breath. Get too close to a Palestinian, or voice too much sympathy for his cause, it seems, and you’re apt to be smeared as someone who is little better than a terrorist yourself. If you’re an American politician whose middle name is Hussein, you really could be in for a hard time. ” > more.

picture: dlisbona,flickr.com

Filed under: bible, christian, christianity, church, Faith, god, Jesus, jewish, jews, Koran, life, Muslim, Muslims, politics, Religion, theology, israel, mc cain, middle east, obama, Palestine